The American Bar Association (ABA), which accredits U.S. law schools, permits law schools to admit up to 10% of their incoming classes without requiring the LSAT, provided applicants meet specific criteria. However, meeting these criteria does not guarantee admission.

Beginning with the fall 2017 admission cycle, the William S. Boyd School of Law offers an Alternate Admission process for applicants who have not taken the LSAT. Please note that the law school reserves the right to modify the conditions for this process, including the required percentile score and undergraduate GPA, for each admission cycle. Additionally, applicants admitted through the Alternate Admission process are not eligible for deferments.


UNLV Direct Admission

Direct Admission is open to high-achieving UNLV undergraduate students who

  1. scored at or above the 85th percentile on the ACT or SAT; and
  2. achieved an LSAC-calculated cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.85 or above; and
  3. are either attending UNLV at the time of admittance to the law school or have graduated no earlier than twelve months prior to the date of matriculation at the law school.

UNLV undergraduate students seeking consideration using the ACT must have ACT send their official score directly to the law school's admissions office. UNLV undergraduate students seeking consideration using the SAT must have The College Board send their official score directly to the law school's admissions office. UNLV undergraduate students interested in using the ACT or SAT for admission must submit a brief addendum with their application informing the admissions committee of which standardized test score they will be submitting.

Direct Admission applicants who have not taken the LSAT and who meet the applicable conditions stated above will be considered until they constitute 10 percent of that school year’s incoming class. Applicants who take the LSAT at any time prior to matriculation at the Boyd School of Law are ineligible for admission under Direct Admission, and will be reconsidered for admission through the normal admissions process. 

Dual Degree Admission

Dual Degree Admission is open to high-achieving applicants seeking the JD degree in combination with an MBA, MSW, or PhD in Education.
Applicants must still apply to and secure acceptance into each partner program, but the law school will consider applicants who have not taken the LSAT if they:

  1. scored at or above the 85th percentile on the GRE or GMAT within the past five years; and
  2. achieved an LSAC-calculated cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.85 or above.

Dual degree program applicants seeking consideration using the GRE must have Educational Testing Service (ETS) send their official score directly to the law school's admissions office. Dual degree program applicants seeking consideration using the GMAT must have the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) send their official score directly to the law school's admissions office.

Dual degree program applicants who have not taken the LSAT and choose to apply for admission to the law school using the GRE or GMAT must submit a brief addendum with their application informing the admissions committee of which standardized test score they will be submitting. Applicants who take the LSAT at any time prior to matriculation at the Boyd School of Law are ineligible for admission under Dual Degree Admission, and will be reconsidered for admission through the normal admissions process.